Folding furniture.



A; H. GAREISS.

TOLDING FURNITURE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. as. 1915.

Patentefi Sept, 4, 191?.

2 snzars-snm 2.

WITNESS INVENTOR Attorney ADAM H. GAREISS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING FURNITURE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sqgpt 4 1911? Applicationfiled April 15, 1916. Serial No. 91,268.

To all whom it may come 1%:

Be it known that I, ADAM H. GAREIss, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in the borough of the Bronx, city and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FoldingFurniture, of which the following is a specification.

The subject of this invention is particularly designed to furnish atable and associated seats which may be folded for con venience intransportation and in storage, and which, when opened out for use, isstrong and substantial and of neat appearance. One form of the inventionis particularly adapted for use in small rooms or apartments, andfurnishes a table with a complement of chairs which fold into the tableleg structure in such a manner that when not in use they do notinterfere with the ordinary use of thetable. The table is also useful inconnection with roof gardens, whereby the table and necessary chairs canbe folded together and stored and brought out and placed in position asoccasion may require and the required number of chairs opened out. If,for instance, the table has an equipment of four chairs and it is to beused for a party of two, the idle chairs remain in their folded positionout of the way, and the table presents the appearance of a tableequipped for two guests. If, however, these two are joined by a third orfourth person, the other chairs are immediately available. Not only doesthe invention relate to the particular form and arrangement of table andchair, but the chair in itself constitutes a part of the invention andis capable of independent use.

In the drawings accompanying this specification,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the inventionshowing the legs in their open position and the chairs opened, thechairs being shown in various positions.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on a plane at about the line 22 ofFig. 1, look ing in the direction of the arrow. 0

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the structure 1n its folded position.

Fig. 4: is an underside view showing three. of the four leg structures1n the open pos1- tion and one of the leg structures folded against theunderside of the table.

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing the leg structures open and the chairsfolded into such leg structures in their idle position, the lefthand endof the figure being shown in section to illustrate the chairconstruction, and

Fig. 6 is a detail showing a fastener for holding chairs open.

For the purpose of explaining the invention I have selected as anillustrative example a four-sided table having a plain oblong top 7 andfour leg structures and four folding chairs. The manner of building upthe leg structures of course differs with the style of furniture and itsintended use and surroundings. The present illustration is of a strong,durable pattern of the mission type. The legs are pivotally connected tothe table top and adapted to fold together upon the underside thereof.The pivotal connection is preferably inwardly of the edge of the table.This is not only to follow the conventional table construction, but alsofor a use explained later in this description. For convenience the legsor leg structures are designated alphabetically. The pivotal connec:tions illustrated are ordinary hinges. The leg A is shown connecteddirectly by its hinge 8 to the table top. The leg B has a strip Z)corresponding to the ordinary valance of a table to which its hinge 8 issecured. In folding up this piece of furniture the leg structure A,which is shown pivoted directly to the underside of the table top 7,folds flat upon the underside of such top and the valance b is ofsufficient height to permit the leg structure B to fold flat upon thefolded leg structure A. The leg structures 0 and D are respectivelyhinged to valances 0, (Z of sufiicient height to permit these legs tofold flat upon the folded leg B. The table top illustrated is longerthan it is wide, and the point of connection of these legs with the topis farther apart than the connections of A and B, and the parts are soproportioned that the two structures C, D fold into substantially thesame plane.

The various leg structures are so proportioned that when all are openthe ends of each abut the ends of two others, thus making in one aspecta complete closure under the table. Each of these legs or leg structuresis shown comprising a plurality of up rights. For convenience thedetailed construction of the leg A will be described, the structure ofthe others in the illustration be ing substantially similar. Fouruprights 10, 11, 12 and 18 are illustrated. The uprights 10 and 11 areshown-connected at their top by a framing member 1 1 carrying the hinge8, and at their lower portion by a brace 15. The uprights 12 and 13 aresimilarly connected by a hinge carrylng framing member 16, and at theirlower portions by a connecting cross brace 17. For assuring cent legstructures when the legs are open,

and suitable interconnecting or fastening means, as, for lnstance',hooks 19 are employed'for holding the parts in their proper openposition.

Folding chairs are shown connected to the leg in such manner that eachleg is adapted to carry its connected chair when the latter is] foldedwith it upon being folded and unfolded. The improved chair shown in thedr'a'wlng as an illustrative example is, when folded, a flat structure,the leg structure also being illustrated flat. The chair is shownpivoted at the portion which constitutes its front edge when in use, tothe upper edge of the'sup'port or front framing member 20, the pivotalconnection illustrated being afforded by ordinary hinges 23.

For convenience terms of direction are e'inpl'oyed herein and generallyrefer to the table in its normal position, that is, with the legs open,the bottoms of these resting upon the floor, and the uppersurface of thetabletop in a substantially horizontal plane. With these points ofdirection in mind it is proper to say that the leg members are pivotallyconnected to the table top each on a horizontal axis, that the foldingchair" is connected to the leg on a vertical axis, and that the seat ofthe chair is connected to the connecting or supporting member on a hori-/iontal axis. In addition to this the support for the rearof the chairseat, namely, the back legs 24 and the back 25, are pivotally connectedto the chair seaton a horizontal axis or an axis parallel withthepivotal connection between the seat and the supporting member. Thelegs 24 and back 25 are shown connected by the same pivotal bar 26 tosuitablestandards or brackets 27 carried by the rear of the chair seat,and are adaptedto fold upon the top of such seat, and when such seat ismovedo'n its pivots or hinges'23 and the chair folded in the legstructure, to be securely hoi'ised withinth leg inclosure and under thetable. The

chair back 25 is shown provided with a bail or brace 28. adapted toengage suitable notches or books 29 in the chair legs 24. By this-meansthe parts are properly held in position when the chair is open. The ballfolds into the structure and is carried into position with the back andlegs.

In'scine constrh'ctions the pivotal connection between the chair andtheleg structure is sufficiently strong to stpport the chair and the weightof the person sitting there on. In other constructions it is founddesirable to provide a leg at the front of the chair at the sideopposite the hinge 21. In the present illustration the chair may beassumed toimerour legs, the illustrated form of rear support comprisingtwo legs. and the leg 3'0 and the lower portion 12 of the table leggstructure upright constituting the front legs. Suitable rollers may beprovided on the legs of the chair, particularly on the leg 80, a roller31 being. illustrated.

Assuming the entire structure to'b'eope'ned and ready for use, and aperson desires to be seated at the table, if the chair is in thepositionillustrated at the front of Fig. 1 it is moved to the positionshown at either the seat of the chair is inwardly ofth'e o'uter edge ofthe table sothatthe person when seated on the chair will find himself inproper relation to the table. W'hen'jit desired to use the table withoutenipl'oyingthe chairs, 'oronly some of these, the chairs are folded intothe leg structure inthe manner illustrated in Fig. 5, whereby the outerpart of the chair is substantially or practically flash with the Hatoutersu'rfajce of the leg structure. If d'esirech knobs may be providedfor ease in folding and unfolding the chairs. lVith all the chairsfolded in position the article of furniture presentsa neat land compactappearance and is capable of use as an ordinarytable. From this positionone or more of the chairs may be unfolded a srequ'ireme'nts demand.

\Vhe'n it is desired to fold the table for storage or transportation thechairs are preferably first folded into the leg structure in the mannerdescribed, the'back 25 first being folded down (see the arrows in Fig.2).

Then the legs are moved over in the same left of Fig. 5. .Then the tableis preferably turned upsidedown onthe floor, and the'leg 1 structure Afolded flat upointh'e underside of the table top, then the leg structureB folded upon the leg A, and then the legs C and D are folded upon theleg B.

When it is desired to open the table the legs C and D will be swung ontheir hinges 8 8 respectively in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 3.Then the chair will be opened by moving in a reverse direction of theclosing direction (see the arrows in Fig. 5) and the chair moved toposition by mov ing it in the direction of the arrow at the right ofFig. 4.

A combined handle for opening the chairs and fastening the legs and backin the open position is illustrated in the form of a hook 33 carried bythe outer face of the seat 22, and is adapted to hook over the bail 28and hold this securely in the notch 29, thereby holding the back 25 andlegs 24 in positions for use. It is apparent that this hook is inposition to be used as a handle in shifting the chair into and out ofclosed position.

Of course, it is to be understood that the illustrative example of myinvention shown in the drawings and particularly described herein iscapable of many changes in detail and features of construction withinthe terms of the claims without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination, a table top, a plurality oflegs each independently pivotally connected thereto, said legs beingadapted to fold together upon the under side of the said table top, andfolding chairs connected to the said legs, each leg being adapted uponbeing folded and unfolded, to carry with it its connected chair when thelatter is folded.

2. In combination, a table top, leg struc tures pivotally connectedthereto and adapted to fold together at the underside of the said tabletop, each said leg structure being so located and proportioned that whenall are opened the ends of each abut the ends of two others, securingmeans between said abutting ends, and folding chairs supported by theleg structures, each such chair being adapted to fold into the generalplane of its supporting leg structure when the same is in its openedposition.

3. In combination, a table top, leg structures pivotally connectedthereto and adapted to fold together at the underside of the said tabletop, each said leg structure being so located and proportioned that whenall are opened the ends of each abut the ends of two others, securingmeans between said abutting ends, and folding chairs supported by theleg structures, each such chair being adapted to fold into the generalplane of its supporting leg structure when the same is in its foldedposition.

4;. In combination, a table top, leg structures pivotally connectedthereto and adapted to fold together at the underside of the said tabletop, each said leg structure being so located and-proportioned that whenall are opened the ends of each abut the ends of two others, securingmeans between said abutting ends, and folding chairs supported by theleg structures, each such chair being adapted to fold into the generalplane of its supporting leg structure when the same is in its open andfolded positions.

5. In combination, a table provided with legs and a folding chairembodying a front framing member having a hinged connection with one ofthe said legs, a seat pivoted to said framing member and adapted. to beelevated into substantially a vertical plane, a back and a support forthe rear of the seat pivoted to the said seat and adapted to fold uponthe top of the seat, the folded chair being adapted to swing on its saidhinged connection and inclose the said back and support under the table.

6. In combination, a table provided with legs and a folding chairembodying a support pivoted at one side to one of the said legs on avertically disposed axis, a seat pivoted at its front to said support ona horizontally disposed axis, a leg carried by the other side of saidsupport, and a back and rear support for the seat pivoted to the rear ofthe said seat on a horizontally disposed axis.

7. In combination, a table provided with legs and a folding chairembodying a support pivoted at one side to one of the said legs on avertically disposed axis, a seat pivoted at its front to said support ona horizontally disposed axis, a leg carried by the other side of saidsupport, a back and rear support for the seat pivoted to the rear of thesaid seat on the same horizontally disposed axis, and a fastener forholding the back and legs in open position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

ADAM H. GAREISS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

